The 2011 Martin Luther King Jr. celebration will include new programming, such as the reading of essays submitted by Somerville youth, and increased musical performances

Student essays and musical performances will celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. at the city’s annual event on Monday.
The 2011 celebration will include new programming, including the reading of essays submitted by Somerville youth, and increased musical performances. The event will also include a keynote address by Robert Lewis Jr., Vice President for Program at The Boston Foundation.

“We are honored to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy once again this year, particularly with such an esteemed keynote speaker as Mr. Lewis,” said Mayor Joe Curtatone. “Dr. King preached messages of hope, peace, and understanding, and each year we gather to remember his life and legacy, and continue to bring those values into our own community.”
“The Somerville Public Schools are pleased to join with the Mayor and our community partners to host this annual celebration of the life of Dr. King,” said Superintendent of Schools Tony Pierantozzi. “Every year we are reminded of the significance of Dr. King’s words and actions which are reflected in the positive impact they have had on community members.”
Along with the keynote address, the celebration will include performances by the St. James Episcopal Church Choir, the Somerville High School Dance Team, the Nepali Sherpa Youth Dance Group, and the Kennedy and Argenziano School choirs. Free refreshments will be served.
Robert Lewis, Jr. is the Vice President for Program at the Boston Foundation, and had most recently served as the Executive Director of the Boston Centers for Youth and Families, the City of Boston’s largest youth and human service agency.

A seasoned civic, community and nonprofit leader, Lewis has been widely honored for his commitment to inner city youth. He serves on a number of area boards, including the Children’s Hospital Community Advisory Board, the Pine Street Inn’s Board of Directors, and the Oversight Committee of the Black Ministerial Alliance.
The event is organized in cooperation with the City Of Somerville Health Department Human Rights Commission, Community Action Agency of Somerville, The Welcome Project, Somerville Commission for Women, Fair Housing Commission, Commission for People with Disabilities, Elizabeth Peabody House, VISTA Volunteers, and Centro Presente.